Brownie's picnic for teddy bears
Item
Title
Brownie's picnic for teddy bears
datePublished
October 27, 1976
pageStart
23
identifier
55480108
Description
Article about a teddy bear's picnic for brownies in NSW
content
AT LEAST some New South
Wales Brownies didn't have to go
down to the woods to enjoy their
Teddy Bears' Picnic.
With teddy bears in tow, they cele-
brated their annual garden party at
Wilgah Downs, a huge sheep property on
dusty and sparse scrubland in the far west
region of the State.
And the highlight pf the afternoon for-
the Brownies, who came from Nyngan,
Cobar and Bourke, was a contest to find
the biggest, the smallest and the most
loved teddy.
The teddy bear theme was evident
everywhere. There were big bear posters
hanging in the trees and bear-shaped
biscuits for tea. Brownies wearing yellow
and brown bear masks danced and acted
out the most famous picnic story of all on
the lawns of the 100-year-old homestead,
which belongs to Ila and Ron Brennan.
Mrs Brennan is the District Commissioner
of Guides in the far west region.
About 50 Girl Guides also took part in
the day's festivities. They had arrived the
day before for a week's camping and had
set up their tents by a dam not far away.
Everyone enjoyed the sideshows, pony
rides, competitions and food stalls - but
one of the most popular attractions was
certainly a musical merry-go-round made
from old ice-cream cans, car hub caps and
pieces of scrap iron.
The merry-go-round was put together
by four local men - Cec Potts. Ted
Lonergan. Ken Ingram and Ray Stuart,
who take it to all the local gatherings,
charging 20 cents a ride. The proceeds go
to the Far West Children's Hospital
Scheme.
Helping Mrs Brennan judge the
competitions was special guest Mrs Rae
Read who opened the day's events.
Mrs Read is New South Wales District
Commissioner of Guides, and she has
travelled thousands of kilometres since she
became Commissioner three years ago.
"I've seen far more of the State than I
ever thought I would - and I've eaten all
sorts of peculiar food, too," she laughed.
"At one camp I was given almost raw
chicken with vegetables that were just
plain charcoal.
"the little girl who'd cooked it said,
'never mind the custard and apples arc
beautiful' but I don't know when she had
last looked at the custard because when I
got it. it would have done a paper-hanger
proud! I declined coffee."
Many of New South Wales' 30,000
Guides live in .country districts and Mrs
Read explained that, ironically, city
Guides often knew more about camping
because they had more trained leaders.
Later in the afternoon Mrs Read's
versatility was put to the lest when she
was called upon to judge the teddy bear
com petition.
After ruthlessly eliminating all bears
which were not strictly teddy bears, she
passed judgment on the remaining
animals. The smallest and largest were not
difficult to decide but the most-loved . . .
that was very difficult. She finally picked
one that looked as though it had been
loved - well, maybe just pulled about -
over several generations.
- LAURIE DEE
Wales Brownies didn't have to go
down to the woods to enjoy their
Teddy Bears' Picnic.
With teddy bears in tow, they cele-
brated their annual garden party at
Wilgah Downs, a huge sheep property on
dusty and sparse scrubland in the far west
region of the State.
And the highlight pf the afternoon for-
the Brownies, who came from Nyngan,
Cobar and Bourke, was a contest to find
the biggest, the smallest and the most
loved teddy.
The teddy bear theme was evident
everywhere. There were big bear posters
hanging in the trees and bear-shaped
biscuits for tea. Brownies wearing yellow
and brown bear masks danced and acted
out the most famous picnic story of all on
the lawns of the 100-year-old homestead,
which belongs to Ila and Ron Brennan.
Mrs Brennan is the District Commissioner
of Guides in the far west region.
About 50 Girl Guides also took part in
the day's festivities. They had arrived the
day before for a week's camping and had
set up their tents by a dam not far away.
Everyone enjoyed the sideshows, pony
rides, competitions and food stalls - but
one of the most popular attractions was
certainly a musical merry-go-round made
from old ice-cream cans, car hub caps and
pieces of scrap iron.
The merry-go-round was put together
by four local men - Cec Potts. Ted
Lonergan. Ken Ingram and Ray Stuart,
who take it to all the local gatherings,
charging 20 cents a ride. The proceeds go
to the Far West Children's Hospital
Scheme.
Helping Mrs Brennan judge the
competitions was special guest Mrs Rae
Read who opened the day's events.
Mrs Read is New South Wales District
Commissioner of Guides, and she has
travelled thousands of kilometres since she
became Commissioner three years ago.
"I've seen far more of the State than I
ever thought I would - and I've eaten all
sorts of peculiar food, too," she laughed.
"At one camp I was given almost raw
chicken with vegetables that were just
plain charcoal.
"the little girl who'd cooked it said,
'never mind the custard and apples arc
beautiful' but I don't know when she had
last looked at the custard because when I
got it. it would have done a paper-hanger
proud! I declined coffee."
Many of New South Wales' 30,000
Guides live in .country districts and Mrs
Read explained that, ironically, city
Guides often knew more about camping
because they had more trained leaders.
Later in the afternoon Mrs Read's
versatility was put to the lest when she
was called upon to judge the teddy bear
com petition.
After ruthlessly eliminating all bears
which were not strictly teddy bears, she
passed judgment on the remaining
animals. The smallest and largest were not
difficult to decide but the most-loved . . .
that was very difficult. She finally picked
one that looked as though it had been
loved - well, maybe just pulled about -
over several generations.
- LAURIE DEE